THE WOODLANDS, Montgomery County – Three violent robbers were arrested after they held up a man at a gym in The Woodlands and led authorities on a high-speed chase along I-45 Friday morning.
Deputies said the victim, Douglas Donnerfield, was sitting in his car outside of the 24 Hour Fitness gym on Six Pines and Lake Woodlands.
He was waiting for a talk show to end before going inside to work out.
That is when he said a red car pulled up next to him.
The men in the red car pulled a gun on him, put the barrel in his face. They punched him in the neck and the stole his cell phone and wallet.
Deputies said the the men began to scream at Donnerfield saying, "Where's the money?"
The robbers then got back into their red car and sped off.
Donnefield managed to get a good look at the license plate as he yelled for help.
Two men leaving the gym let him borrow their cell phone to call 911.
Deputies immediately broadcast the license plate number.
A Montgomery County deputy monitoring traffic on I-45 spotted the suspect car and started following it.
When the vehicle crossed FM 2920 the driver sped up, and that is when the surveillance became a high-speed chase.
At one point, the driver was going up to 115 miles per hour headed towards Houston.
This lengthy chase lead deputies and Houston Police from the North Loop to the East Freeway, then 59 to the Gulf Freeway.
A Houston Police unit reportedly saw the suspects throw a gun out of the window as hey fled.
The two robbers and getaway driver eventually headed south the Scott street where they crashed.
The robbers jumped out of the car and ran.
Frederick Robinson, 19; Edward Brightmon, 19; and 20-year-old Travis Coleman were all captured a short time later. All three are charged with aggravated robbery and felony evading.
A Houston police sergeant recovered the weapon that was likely used in the holdup. Investigators said the gun was loaded.